Magick
and Ritual
AS A FALSE SYSTEM OF ESOTERIC WORK
by Anthony Hargan
http://quantumfuture.net
STS
= Service to Self Energy Flow
STO = Service to Others Energy Flow
This particular third density STS world that we all happen to
inhabit at this time offers truly a cornucopia of religions,
philosophies and belief systems that keep one away from the
Truth that IS. There is something for everybody, for every
seeker of every size, shape and disposition. It's a shopping
cart of spiritual drugs that keeps one "hooked" and prevents
the objective Truth from entering into the picture. They keep
one's awareness level low to non-existent and that suits the
hyperdimensional kingpins just fine. In fact, these systems
of spiritual imprisonment are the direct product of fourth
density STS.
Among all of these systems, perhaps one of the more insidious
of them is the "art and science" of magick. The spelling of
magick used here was made popular by Aleister Crowley. The k
on the end signifies its essential difference from stage
magic, though its spiritual tricks of sleight of hand are no
less spectacular and deceptive. This essay refers
specifically to the system of magick labeled "High Magick" as
taught by The Golden Dawn and Aleister Crowley.
Most people shy away from magick out of ignorance, thinking
only of the popularized image of a white-bearded magician in
blue robes studded with white stars. The idea seems too much
like fantasy for the pragmatic seeker. Others are actually
attracted by the image but soon become disenfranchised when
they find out there is real work involved in magick. And
still many others are not bothered one bit by the idea of
work as long as they can keep the real work down to just an
idea for themselves and still hoodwink followers into
thinking they have great magickal power. And then there are a
very few who are honest seekers of Truth and they wade
through the ignorance and nonsense to approach magick with
reverence and humility. It is these last few that this work
has been especially written for, as well as for the general
education of those who are interested.
This author was one of those earnest seekers who came to the
doors of the secret schools of magick and humbly but surely
knocked in hopes of being admitted to a true path of
Ascension. I studied hard and long, trying to find the
answers to the questions that emanated from the core of my
being. I plumbed the depths of so-called esoteric magickal
knowledge and I gained an understanding of the "art and
science" of magick that few people have the patience to
acquire. Having recently realized the true, deceptive nature
of magick, I write this as a warning to those who have
embraced magick in earnest. Seeker beware.
A
brief explanation of magick
Magick
is predicated on the notion that there are forces and
intelligences beyond our normal physical understanding and
perceptions. Primarily the forces of nature and the "natural"
elements (fire, water, air, earth, and spirit) are utilized,
but other spiritual intelligences and hierarchies such as
angels, archangels and demons figure prominently into the
mix. Magick holds that there is a mystical structure to
reality being mostly determined by the evocative kabbalistic
glyph called the Tree of Life. Everything that exists, to
include man, the Earth, animals, plants, minerals, energy,
forces, elements, angels, and demons, etc., all have their
place on the cosmic Tree of Life according to a divine plan
of organization and categorization as expounded by the
kabbalists.
Magick also claims to adhere to the hermetic maxim "As above,
So below". The Greek microcosmos within the macrocosmos. Man
himself being the microcosm within the macrocosm of the
magickal cosmos. And both of these entities in turn are
structured around the Tree of Life as a template.
Ritual is the primary mode of operation in magick. Arguably,
no other religion or philosophy has a more complex and
rigorous system of rituals as magick. Magickal rituals are
constructed according to a great number of supposedly ancient
and esoteric rules and laws. These rules and laws are
themselves presumably based on natural processes and natural
laws regarding the way the cosmos works and how its component
parts relate to each other. Some authors of magick have
explained in great detail the natural laws that the student
of magick must adhere to in order to perform a successful
ritual.
More will be said about ritual later, but for our purposes
now, it is only important that one understand that a
magickian performs a ritual for the purpose of bringing about
a desired effect. Note that this effect is not necessarily in
the outside world. In fact, the most potent rituals involve
only the "inner world" of the magickian himself. This last
idea is often surprising to the uninformed because of the
prevailing exoteric notion that magickal ritual is only for
causing changes in the outer world.
Types
of magick
Most
people are used to the idea of two basic "types" of magick -
black and white magick. Some authors and so-called adepts
have introduced other systems of magick that include a third,
fourth, or numerous other "types" of magick. Primarily,
though, magick can be categorized according to two types:
black and white.
The definition of black magick matches fairly closely the
popular notion of that type of magick. Black magick is the
use of "magick forces" and ritual to bring undeserved
material and psychic gains to the practitioner or to harm or
destroy someone or something external to the practitioner. By
saying "undeserved", this is referring to material and
psychic gains that were not worked for except by ritual.
Anyone who works for what they want or need rightly
"deserves" them in simplistic terms, though they do not
always receive them. Black magick is the shortcut to real
work for material gain and malicious intent. It is
necessarily extremely selfish in nature. When black magick is
used against another to harm or manipulate, the reasons for
wanting to harm another are almost always selfish in nature
to begin with. Black magick is the use of magick for purely
selfish and usually physical or psychic reasons.
White magick, on the other hand, is almost nothing like the
popularly held vision of this type. Most people assume that
white magick is the opposite of black magick in the false
dichotomy of selfish versus unselfish. In fact, white magick
could be said to be "selfish" in the sense that it uses
magick for the purposes of developing the spirituality of the
practitioner. White magick is NOT the use of magick for
helping other people, though there certainly are authors who
present things this way.
A few authors, notably Donald Michael Kraig, describe a third
"type" of magick - grey magick. This kind of magick uses
"magick forces" and ritual to effect changes in the external
world, but with an added caveat that the operation must not
cause harm to either the practitioner nor any other. And
also, this type of magick should be done in the spirit of
providing for the essential worldly needs of the
practitioner, not for the aggrandizement of the
practitioner's selfish desires. The flaws in the definition
of this type of magick is that it still indicates a shortcut
in lieu of real work and it cannot guarantee that any
operation will not, in fact, have unforeseen consequences on
the practitioner or others that would be considered harmful.
Thus it seems that grey magick is actually a justification by
"white magickians" to use black magick for some kind of
material gain, even that of a presumably humble nature.
What's
wrong with a shortcut?
An
honest and understandable question. Much has been written
about using shortcuts for personal gain and particularly
spiritual gain. In fact, anyone who chooses to follow the
path outlined by Gurdjieff and Mouravieff, as well as the
Cassiopaeans and the Quantum Future School, must resist
spiritual shortcuts with all their strength of will. But why?
Magick uses one of the more dangerous forms of shortcut,
ritual and ceremony. A magickian is trained to perform
rituals and ceremonies that allegedly work by effecting the
subtle energies in the astral plane. In white magick, these
rituals are supposed to bring spiritual enlightenment and
union with the divine. Rituals are encouraged for one's
spiritual growth instead of hard and honest work on one's
self. Some authors of magick hold in contempt systems that
require hard work on one's self, saying instead that magickal
ritual is infinitely more effective and "verifiably" quicker
than other systems.
The danger comes with the fact that we here in third density
know very little about fourth density. In trying to
manipulate fourth density energies without understanding the
implications of doing so, we open ourselves up to all kinds
of unforeseen consequences, some of them quite serious. The
foremost danger is that a fourth density entity can hijack
one's efforts and instead manipulate the practitioner. In
particular, this kind of manipulation can be used to dupe the
practitioner into giving up her free will to the fourth
density entity. Thus, by using ritual as a shortcut to
manipulate fourth density energies instead of doing real work
in third density, magick is leading the would-be practitioner
down the STS path. And attempts to manipulate fourth density
energies also constitute a denial that the reason we exist
here in third density is to learn the lessons made available
to us by being in third density. To attempt to jump right to
fourth density while still in third density is like letting a
toddler play with fireworks. Efforts will either fizzle out
to the dismay of the practitioner, or explode in one's face
causing possibly very serious harm.
It is in answering the question about magick and ritual as
shortcuts that one arrives at the idea that white magick may
in fact be more insidious, deceptive, and dangerous than
black magick. Black magick is obvious. It is, perhaps
paradoxically and ironically, honest in its definition and
goals. Most people can look at black magick and see that it
is intended for ill gain and harmful intentions. Any who
decide to walk down the black path know ahead of time the
earthly treasures that await, and ultimately, the price to be
paid, though the black magickian is often tricked into
believing that the price can be dodged if one has enough
power. But white magick is promulgated as a system of
enlightenment, a system of spiritual vitality and growth. It
is taught as a method of developing one's relationship with
one's soul. In fact, white magick is a ritualistic shortcut.
Practitioners of the white path believe that their system is
a shortcut to spirit, but in fact it is a shortcut to STS
oblivion. The rest of this essay will be devoted to arguing
this most important point. We will start with ritual in
specific.
Ritual
So what exactly is the problem with ritual? This question
nagged at me from day one of discovering the Cassiopaean
material and Laura's work. I can now say that the answer was
not easy to find. I can't point to any one particular line in
the transcripts or even in Laura's writings and say, "Oh,
that's why ritual is bad." The answer lies in many
fundamental understandings that Laura, Ark, and others have
figured out with help from the Cassiopaeans. We have heard
from the Cassiopaeans that "ritual restricts" and "ritual
drains to 4th Density STS" and a few other things like this.
But why? Exactly how does that work? And why should we be
concerned about it? I will now attempt to tackle this issue.
ALL rituals presuppose a "fixed" result in the future based
on the rationale and reasonings of our 3rd Density, linear
minds. This is obvious when you consider rituals or "spells"
that are intended to bring something to you, such as a new
car, or a good job, or a true love, etc. Perceiving an
intended fixed result in some other types of ritual is not as
easy, such as rituals intended to bring one "closer to the
goddess consciousness" or in tune with the "planetary
consciousness of Jupiter", etc. On the surface, these kinds
of rituals appear to be open because the practitioner is
"opening" herself to the specific energies or consciousness
being invoked. The word "specific" in the previous sentence
is the key here, that is where a "fixed result" comes into
play with these kinds of rituals. One is not performing that
kind of ritual to be open to just ANY energy or
consciousness, but is instead confining the result to being
to open to only a SPECIFIC kind of energy or consciousness,
thus the limitation. Here we enter the realm of anticipation.
Performing a ritual with a fixed result in mind is the same
as anticipating a particular or limited outcome.
Q:
(L) OK, we've been talking earlier this evening about intent,
and of course, our own experiences with intent have really
been pretty phenomenal. We've come to some kind of an idea
that intent, when confirmed repeatedly, actually builds
force. Is this a correct concept, and is there anything that
you can add to it?
A: Only until anticipation muddies the picture... tricky one,
huh?
Q: (L) Is anticipation the act of assuming you know how
something is going to happen?
A: Follows realization, generally, and unfortunately for you,
on 3rd density. You see, once anticipation enters the
picture, the intent can no longer be STO.
Q: (L) Anticipation is desire for something for self. Is that
it?
A: Yes.
Q: (L) OK, so it's OK to intend something, or to think in an
intentional way, or to hope in an intentional way, for
something that is to serve another...
A: And that brings realization. But, realization creates
anticipation.
Q: (L) Well, how do we navigate this razor? I mean, this is
like walking on a razor's edge. To control your mind to not
anticipate, and yet, deal with realization, and yet, still
maintain hope...
A: Mental exercises of denial, balanced with pure faith of a
nonprejudicial kind.
Q: (L) OK, so, in other words, to just accept what is at the
moment, appreciate it as it is at the moment, and have faith
that the universe and things will happen the way they are
supposed to happen, without placing any expectation on how
that will be, and keep on working?
A: Yes.
Q: (L) We have discussed a lot of concepts about "shaping the
future." In our discussions, we have hypothesized that it is
something like an intentional act of shaping something good,
but without defining the moment of measurement. In other
words, adding energy to it by intent, but not deciding where,
when or how the moment of measurement occurs. Like a quantum
jump: you know it is statistically likely, but not definite,
so you cannot "expect" it, but you observe so that you can
notice when it occurs on it's own, and in it's own way.
A: Yes. Avoiding anticipation. That is the key to shaping the
future... When it hits you, it stops.
Q: (L) When what hits you? The fact that it's happening? That
you are doing it?
A: Yes unless you cancel out all anticipation.
Q: (L) Well, this is very tricky.
A: Ah? We have doubts... And yes, you create your own
reality!
Q: Well, but you have also said that anticipation messes
things up, and so I don't want to have any anticipation.
A: Anticipation is not creating one's own reality.
The
future appears to be fluid and highly variable. Nothing is
"set" in time, per se. The past, the present, and the future
can all change unpredictably with the alteration of even just
one tiny variable. We have been told that STO perceives
things objectively as they are, not as they wish to see
things, and that STO goes with the natural flow of events. We
have also been told that STS is limited in perception by its
own wishful thinking, and that STS constantly tries to stack
the odds in favor of itself by artificially altering events
and situations. From this understanding, we can easily see
what is going on with ritual. Rituals use non-natural (ie.
artificial) means to "stack the odds" in favor of a fixed
future result. Rituals try to artificially alter the fluid
reality of the future so that the practitioner can deal with
only the things he wants to deal with instead of developing
the skills and abilities necessary to perceive things as they
naturally occur in time and space and deal with them
appropriately.
One major flaw in the wishful thinking of STS is that it
thinks it can predictably change the probabilities of some
possibilities in the future, that it can "set" certain things
definitely in time. The reality seems to be quite the
opposite. The results of small changes are not predictable,
hence the statements by the Cassiopaeans that the STS plans
will ultimately fail and the "glitches" in the Matrix Control
System. STS chooses to believe that it can predict the
results of changes thereby justifying its attempts to alter
things. Whereas STO sees that it cannot act to bring about a
particular outcome in the future, but it can act in "present
time" according to the nature of events and situations in the
present without anticipation of future outcome. STS deals
with the future which is fluid and variable, and STO deals
with the present. Rituals constitute an action with the
intent of anticipating a particular and predictable outcome
in the future. Rituals constitute wishful thinking instead of
objective observation and action in "present time".
Rituals close one off from the possibilities of ALL because
the practitioner desires a particular outcome instead of what
the universe has already arranged. This is the meaning of
"ritual restricts". Performing a ritual requires energy from
the practitioner in one form or another and because ritual is
STS by nature, the energy is usurped according to the
hierarchy of STS in place relative to the practitioner. This
is the nature of STS, a hierarchy where relatively lower
echelons feed energy "up" to relatively higher echelons. In
our current reality, the 4th Density STS lizard beings are
higher up the hierarchy relative to us. This is why ritual
drains to 4th Density lizards.
Protection rituals deserve special consideration here. Laura
has written this:
"So, it comes down to being completely 'open' yet intentional
for positive action in our lives, and being anticipatory, and
thus 'closed and protected' to prevent negative occurrences.
This is rather the opposite of most teachings about 'creating
your own reality,' yet we have found that it works amazingly!
It's like anticipating all the things in your house that can
hurt a small child, taking precautions, and thus averting
accidents."
This begs the question, "Do protection rituals count as being
'closed and protected' to negative occurrences?" At first
glance, this question seems to be a tricky one. Being
"anticipatory" with regard to negative occurrences and
influences implies obtaining a knowledge of same. Only by
gaining an awareness and understanding of the specific nature
of possible attacks and negative occurrences can we properly
and intentionally take the specific actions in third density
necessary to protect against them. Thus there is no
"protect-all" action or ritual that can protect from all
possible attacks and negative occurrences, other than
possibly knowledge of all modes of attack. Yet most
protection rituals are designed with that kind of
"protect-all", no-knowledge psychic armor in mind.
The
Cassiopaeans have said:
Just remember that anticipation is the "mother of
preparation," and defense.
Lesson number 1: Always expect attack.
Lesson number 2: Know the modes of same.
Lesson number 3: Know how to conteract same.
Notice again how we are encouraged to "Know" specific modes
of attack and their counteractions. The key here seems to be
"preparation", prepare with knowledge. Knowledge Protects! If
you know about the attack and how to defend against it, then
you don't need a protection ritual. And, of course, there
will be times when one encounters attacks that one has no
knowledge of. Here we invoke the Cassiopaeans again, "All
there is is lessons". By encountering the new type of attack
one has learned about the attack and how to protect against
it. The learning seems to be the key here. If all one does is
perform protection rituals all the time, how does one learn
about the different attacks and how to protect against them?
Of course, you don't. For STO candidates, learning the
lessons here in third density, to include lessons about
attacks, appears to be the goal of being in third density in
order to graduate to fourth density. So why hold yourself
back a grade with rituals?
What
is magick really?
Now
we will touch on the larger aspect of magick. Let me begin
this part by quoting from Israel Regardie, a student of
Aleister Crowley and Golden Dawn member, in his essay "The
Art and Meaning of Magic" his definition of magick:
"But I maintain, as a primal definition, that Magic[k],
whether of the eastern or western variety, is essentially a
divine process - Theurgy, a mode of spiritual culture or
development. From the psychological viewpoint, it may be
interpreted as a series of techniques having as their object
the withdrawal of energy from objective and subjective
objects so that, in the renewal of consciousness by a
re-emergent libido, the jewel of a transformed life with new
creative possibilities and with spontaneity may be found. It
comprises various technical methods, some simple in nature,
others highly complex and most difficult to perform, for
purifying the personality, and into that cleansed organism,
freed of pathogenic strain, invoking the higher self.
"With this in mind, then, a good many of the apparently
unrelated items of Magic[k], some of its invocations and
visualizing practices, take on a new and added significance.
They are important psychological steps whereby to repair,
improve or elevate consciousness so that eventually it may
prove a worthy vehicle of the Divine Light. [...] This
conception is likewise the point of view of our magical
system. The technical forms of Magic[k] described in the The
Golden Dawn, such as Pentagram and other rituals, astral
assumption of God-forms, evocations [...] of elemental and
planetary spirits, skrying in the spirit vision, and the
invocation of the Holy Guardian Angel, are all performed with
that single objective held ever before one."
Notice right away the hook, a promise of "spiritual culture
and development". An uninformed but serious seeker might
stumble upon this definition and give more credence to this
system than is justified because of the stated goal of
magick, nothing less than making the aspirant a "worthy
vehicle of Divine Light". Sounds pretty good, huh? Mr.
Regardie also gives us a basic explanation for how the
"techniques" of magick bring about the promised change in the
seeker. Let us examine the system of techniques in detail to
see what we might see.
Some
fundamental flaws of magick
As
with most systems of thought, magick fails to make mention of
some of the fundamental properties of our selves and our
reality. This failing, of course, leads to an improper
context and understanding of the essential nature of many
elements in our world. This in turn leads to many errors of
conception and thus the very foundation of magickal thought
is corrupted from the outset.
Magickal esotericism recognizes that our reality has a
"reality behind the reality". Much talk is made of the
so-called Astral plane and its denizens. This plane is
thought to be composed of "finer" energies and matter than
the physical world and it is super-imposed in space and time
over the realm of the physical. Every physical thing has a
connected Astral counterpart that can be affected directly
from the Astral plane, especially living creatures. There are
a few disciplines in magick that deal either with directly
travelling in the Astral realms or sensing Astral energies
and beings while the observer is still in the physical realm.
Many magick rituals are presumed to manipulate these Astral
energies to propagate changes "down" to the physical world.
The Astral realms are analogous to our current understandings
of 4th Density, but they differ in one very important way.
The seven different densities described by the Cassiopaeans
can be thought of as a spectrum of consciousness with 1st
Density being a pure lack of consciousness, or sleeping
consciousness, and 7th Density a state of pure consciousness
with all the other densities falling in between on a scale
where the "higher" densities are expressed in a state of more
consciousness relative to "lower" densities. Magick does not
make this distinction of consciousness with regards to the
Astral realms, though there are some interesting correlations
between densities and the planes of existence described in
magick.
For instance, the Astral plane is considered the realm of
illusion where each thought of imagination becomes a reality
for the thinker. This idea is very similar to the concepts of
variability of physicality in 4th Density as explained by the
Cassiopaeans. Also, magick talks about a mental plane of pure
thought which is assumed to exist "beyond" or "higher than"
the Astral realms. This mental plane seems similar to the
concept of 6th Density. And finally, in magick there is a
realm of pure "spirit" or unity beyond the mental plane which
corresponds loosely with 7th Density. Magick does not really
address the notion of a "plane of recycling" such as 5th
Density, though there is the Abyss from kaballah and Enochian
philosophy that roughly corresponds to 5th Density. Also,
magickal philosophy lumps first through third densities into
the "plane of physicality" without making much distinction
between them.
Magick does not bring consciousness into the equation
concerning the ideas of the planes of existence. The Astral
realm is a realm of imagination and emotion and illusion,
while the mental plane is a plane consisting only of thoughts
and the plane of spirit is the ineffable and ultimate plane
of God beyond time, space, and thought. No where are these
realms regarded in terms of gradations of understanding,
knowledge, and awareness. And while there is some idea of two
currents of energy flow in the universe, they are expressed
in terms of physicality vs. spirituality instead of STS vs.
STO. This last discrepancy has some special consequences.
STS and STO are harmoniously balanced concepts that involve
the complex interplay of the tiered hierarchy of STS and the
heterarchical network of STO. These two energy flows combine
in each density from 2nd to 6th with STO flowing "upward"
toward 7th and STS flowing "downward" toward 1st. No density
from 2nd to 6th is considered to have "more" of STS vs. STO
or vice versa, they are in dynamic balance. There is no
direct correlation between density and direction of energy
flow (ie. STS or STO).
Magickal philosophy does have a good definition of STS from a
3rd Density perspective, though it is not termed as such.
Magick considers individuals who are completely absorbed with
selfish goals and desires to be suitable only for black
magickal endeavors. Those individuals are wholly unable to
embark on the "higher" journey toward spirit because of their
attachment to the mortal self. Such individuals cling to
their mortal selves in fear and dread and they seek only to
verify and validate their own wishful thinking by acts of
lust and hatred.
When we look at those who are inclined toward spirituality
and immortality, at first we seem to see something entirely
different occurring with these individuals. This group speaks
in lofty tones about dedicating their mortal selves in
service to the "higher self" by engaging in time-consuming
and costly rituals designed for this purpose. In fact,
rituals are a shortcut motivated by wishful thinking and
elitism. This group of individuals seek to "horde" spiritual
power for themselves.
Their is no concept of an open network of people in white
magick, sharing lessons and experiences and knowledge thereby
assisting the esoteric growth of all parties involved.
Instead either a progressive hierarchy relationship dominates
the flow of energies in white magick, or an
everybody-for-themselves mentality. This path will, indeed,
increase the consciousness and awareness of the practitioner
if perseverance is practiced, but the individual will raise
to the next density as an STS being. Letting go of the mortal
self does not necessarily equate with STO. In short, the
concept of Service To Others does not exist in magick, white
magick is just another form of STS.
A lack of proper consideration for the hyperdimensional
aspect of our reality and an acute ignorance of STO vs. STS
concepts in magick obviously precludes the existence of the
idea of 4th Density overseers controlling our world. There is
mention of demons and "lower" spirit entities, but not in the
sense of an over-arching system of control over humanity.
Hence, magick is blind to the control mechanisms put in place
to dominate our every move and thought, as well as the
constant drain of energy from each individual human being.
Magick does not recognize the prison of illusion carefully
constructed by our hyperdimensional controllers that we find
ourselves incarcerated in and thus followers of magick are
doomed to suffer the deceptions of the Lizard beings and stay
under their yoke of domination.
Detailed analysis of the major parts of magick
Israel Regardie describes four main components to the system
of magick according to the Golden Dawn. First, there is the
practice of divination primarily in the forms of tarot
readings, Geomancy, and astrology. Divination is thought to
enhance the intuition and self-knowledge of the practitioner.
Second, the methods of evoking entities from the spirit
realms and gazing into the inner realms are intended for
equilibrating the different psychological aspects of the
lower self. Thirdly, the invocation of god-forms and
spiritual forces into the practitioner is thought to
spiritually strengthen the soul and bring about contact with
one's higher nature. And last, initiation rituals presumably
provide a spiritual "boost" to the aspirant along the path
toward spirit. Each of these components have special
considerations and effects in light of the Cassiopaean
material.
Divination
Regardie
has this to say about divination: "[...] the practice of
divination when conducted aright has as its objective the
development of the inner psychic faculty of intuition. [...]
When carried on for a sufficiently long period of time, the
practice builds slowly but efficiently a species of bridge
between the consciousness of man and that deeper hidden part
of his psyche of which usually he is not aware - the
unconscious, or higher self. In these deeper spiritual
aspects of his nature are the divine roots of discrimination,
spiritual discernment, and lofty wisdom."
I hope the reader has caught what Mr. Regardie is saying
above; he is saying that interpreting a deck of cards with
symbols on them, or lines in the sand (Geomancy), or the
positions of planets and stars is equivalent to the practices
of discernment, perspicacity and "thinking with a hammer". In
fact, we are to use divination to develop our "psychic
faculty of intuition". Nevermind that reality appears to be
fluid and non-deterministic with respect to the future (which
throws divinatory predictions out the window). Nevermind that
interpreting divinatory readings has nothing to do with facts
and real observations and real research. Nevermind that in
this reality we must rely on more than just our intuition to
make progress along the path of esoteric development. And
nevermind that the 4th Density STS controllers would love to
have us all listen to a (projected from 4D) "voice within"
that tells us what to think and how to see the world instead
of thinking with a hammer and researching facts and putting
the pieces of the puzzle together with real thought and real
effort.
Divination is highly subject to the ravages of wishful
thinking and subjective pre-conceptions if practiced by
itself. The "diviner" can see what he wants and validate his
viewpoint as intuition. While it seems to be true that some
people do have a very developed sense of intuition, this must
always be checked with external observation and research.
Humans are too vulnerable to outside influences and internal
distortion. Indeed, Regardie gives us a clue to this when he
writes: "The object of divination is quite simply, then, the
construction of a psychic mechanism whereby this source of
inspiration and life may be made accessible to the ordinary
consciousness, to the ego." We know quite well that Man's ego
is very prone to wishful thinking and only seeing what it
wants to see. What criteria should be used to distinguish
between our internal intuition and external influence that
seems like internal intuition and our ego's own wishful
thinking? And how can our selves or any others be able to
have any faith in our intuition if we cannot support it with
facts and research or even fair reasoning? More importantly,
why should our selves or any others have faith in our
intuition if we don't even make the effort to research our
intuitive findings?
It should be noted that no real facts or research come into
play in the practice of divination making the results
completely relative and subjective unless subjected to
verification and correlation with other knowledge. In short,
divination does not by itself lead to useful, objective
knowledge or understanding of self or anything else. It does
not by itself develop in the diviner the keen ability of
objective discernment, in fact, the opposite is developed - a
lazy dependence on "intuition" (or wishful thinking). There
is no hard work involved. This presents a danger to the
diviner as it encourages wishful thinking and the absorption
of false/subjective information instead of objective truth.
Perhaps it would be useful to heed the Cassiopaean's warnings
here that no knowledge is better than false knowledge.
Evocation
It is with this particular discipline that we enter one of
the more dangerous aspects of magick. Using some or another
form of divination to gain "self-knowledge" through
intuition, the practitioner will have identified aspects of
his character and psyche that are deficient, if not outright
damaged. Magick borrows here from modern psychological theory
the idea of complexes. These complexes of personality are
said to have the characteristics of individual entities and
magick uses this rationale to define them as "astral
spirits". These "possessing spirits" are then evoked into
physical form and commanded to "let there be peace between me
and thee. And be thou ever ready to come and obey my will,
whether it be by a ceremony or but by a gesture." This
process, according to magickal theory, is the process whereby
one can start to equilibrate the defective portions of one's
internal psychology.
We will use Regardie's own words here to define the idea of
complexes. "The term 'complexes' has achieved a fairly wide
notoriety during the last quarter of a century since the
circulation of the theories of Freud and Jung. It means an
aggregation or group of ideas in the mind with a strong
emotional charge, capable of influencing conscious thought
and behaviour. [...] Over and above this definition, however,
is the more subtle one of a group of ideas or feelings
congregating about a significant or dominant psychic theme,
such as sex or the need to overcome inferior feelings, or
some psychic wound of childhood, typing or locking up nervous
energy. Thus, as a result of repression, we may find a
complex of which the possessor is totally unconscious - a
complex expressing itself in a sense of insecurity, obsession
or morbid unreasonable fears, and persistent anxiety.
Moreover, a constellation of feelings and moods and emotional
reactions may exist which have become so powerful and yet so
obnoxious to reason as to have become completely split off
from the main stream of the personality. What modern
psychology calls a complex in this sense, the ancient
psychology of Magic[k], which had its own system of
classification and nomenclature, named a Spirit."
Regardie mentions the analytical method of modern psychology
for dealing with these complexes:
"We encourage the patient to narrate freely his life history,
to delineate in detail his early experiences in connection
with his father and mother, his reactions to brothers and
sisters, to school and playmates and the entire environment.
He is asked to dwell particularly on his emotional reaction
to these earlier experiences, to re-live them in his
imagination, to recount and analyse his feelings towards
them. Moreover, his dreams at the time of analysis are
subjected to a careful scrutiny. [...] In this way the
patient is enabled to realize 'objectively' the nature of
this complex. He must detach himself from it for a short
space of time. And this critical objective examination of it,
this understanding of its nature and the means whereby it
came into being, enables him, not once and for all, but
gradually and with the passage of time, to oust it from his
ways of thinking."
Then Regardie points out a different method for dealing with
these complexes, the process of evocation. Using this method,
the aspirant seeks to give objective form to his complexes in
the appearance of spirit entities. Magickal theory postulates
that while one is unaware of one's psychological complexes,
one cannot master or control them. But if one could make
these complexes tangible and appear in objective form, then
one could control these aspects of one's self directly and
"by means of transcendental symbols and formal processes of
Magic[k]".
Regardie sums it up thusly, "To recapitulate: the purpose of
evocation is that some portion of the human psyche which has
become deficient in a more or less important quality is made
intentionally to stand out, as it were. Given body and name
by the power of the stimulated will and imagination and
exuded astral substance, it is, to continue to use metaphor,
specially nourished by the warmth and sustenance of the sun,
and given water and food that it may grow and flourish."
Now here we must differentiate between two different but
related and similar looking phenomenon. Complexes as
theorized in modern psychology can exist for many reasons,
all psychological. These phenomena can result from traumatic
episodes in one's life, but more often from mental and
emotional programming that we are all subjected to from
birth. Nearly everything that we are taught by society, by
our parents, by our peers and siblings, is a form of
programming that effects how we think and feel. Quite often,
the programming causes deficiencies and maladies in our
personality that will later require some form of effort to
cure. If left unchecked, they can spiral into severe mental
and emotional illnesses. This occurrence would be analogous
to what happens to one's health when one eats the wrong foods
that either cause nutritional deficiencies or a buildup of
toxic substances. The distribution and composition of mental
and emotional illnesses in our population can very widely and
individually due to differences in culture, subculture,
region, income, religion, race, sex, personal experiences and
a host of other reasons. Complexes of the psychological
variety seem to be very real.
There is another form of complex that generally takes on the
appearance of a psychological complex, it is called spirit
attachment. This kind of complex is caused when a real and
external entity "latches" onto a person. This happens in the
world of subtle energies normally invisible to our ordinary
physical senses, and thus the victim human is usually not
consciously aware that an entity has attached itself. The
entity then drains energy from the person through the
attachment and subtly affects the psychological disposition
of the victim. This can show up in personality disorders and
peculiarities that almost exactly mimics true psychological
disorders. Many of these entities are the remnants of
personalities from humans who were previously alive and
breathing in the physical world. The disorder or disorders
that then manifest in the living victim are usually related
to disorders or obsessions possessed by the entity in
physical life. The other main class of attaching entites are
altogether different and always malevolent. The disorders
that manifest from these latter attachments are usually
severe and related to the nature of the possessing entity.
These latter kind of attachments are normally called demonic
possession. Quite a bit of evidence exists that seems to
confirm the phenomenon of spirit attachment and possession.
Normal psychological methods of dealing with complexes
arising from spirit attachment rarely work due to the
external nature of the complex's origin and the inherently
internal nature of therapeutic methods.
Having laid out what we know about psychological complexes,
spirit attachment, and magickal theory, we can begin to
understand exactly what kind of effects evocation may have in
its application. In the case of complexes acquired in the
"normal" fashion through trauma and social programming,
magick suggests the use of "banishing" rituals for ridding
oneself of these maladies and deficiencies instead of
reflection, honest effort and hard work. Where does one gain
any knowledge from "banishing" one's psychoses away with a
few words and gestures? How does performing this kind of a
ritual equal or exceed (according to Regardie) the results of
hard work and vigilant effort towards changing one's thoughts
and emotions? Of course, it sounds awfully good to our lazy
egos. Walk around in a circle a few times, say some arcane
words and concentrate on a piece of glass for a little while
and poof, problem solved. But this is a trap. No ritual can
ever be equal to honest and persistent work on one's self. At
best, one would simply be spinning one's wheels and never
getting anywhere, and at worst, one could be led down the
dangerous path of egoism by a belief that taking this kind of
a shortcut will cure one's problems. Performing rituals
instead of doing hard work on one's self is the easy way out
and does not lead to Ascension.
The situation with spirit attachment is potentially much more
dangerous when utilizing the process of evocation. Regardie
tells us that the complexes that have been objectively
externalized by the process of evocation "are once more
assimilated into consciousness. No longer are they
independent spirits roaming in the astral world, or partial
systems dwelling in the unconscious, disrupting the
individual's conscious life. They are brought back once more
into the personality, where they become useful citizens so to
speak, integral parts of the psyche". He also tells us that
"At the conclusion of the operation [evocation], [the entity]
is absorbed deliberately and consciously back into the
operator". Excuse me? We are being told here to invite
entities that are, in fact, external and separate in origin
from us and whose very nature is to drain us, INTO our selves
by our own free will. It makes one wonder who came up with
that idea and who would benefit most from this deception.
Certainly not the one being drained.
Hopefully the reader can see the con game being played here
and who is playing it. The one way that we third density
humans can escape the power structures of the fourth density
STS beings that control our world is by increasing our
knowledge and understanding and awareness of our selves.
Thus, the 4D STS controllers have gone to tremendous efforts
to deflect the seeker from true self knowledge by carefully
constructing religions and philosophies and "magickal
processes" that either keeps one "spinning one's wheels" on
useless ideas and platitudes, or worse, practices that
actually drain the seeker of vital energy. Working on one's
self requires a tremendous amount of energy of which each
individual has a limited supply. Therefore conservation of
energy is very important to the true seeker. But magick would
have us wasting this energy on rituals that will get us
precisely nowhere and open invitations to hungry entities
that will come and feast on us by our own free will. This
keeps us soft and unenlightened so the 4D STS can come in and
mop up with minimal effort on their part. Pretty neat trick,
huh?
Spirit
Vision
Regardie
calls the magickal technique of "vision" a variation of
evocation in the sense that "it, too, has as its objective
the necessary assimilation of the unconscious content of the
psyche into normal consciousness." This technique involves a
form of imaginative meditation where the practitioner's
imagination is stimulated in such a way as to produce a
"waking dream" with full consciousness. Regardie points out
that interpreting the dream is important. "Acquaintance with
the methods of Jung's symbolic analysis of dreams and
spontaneous fantasies may be extremely useful here, providing
a useful adjunct to the Qabalistic reference of symbols to
the ten 'Sephiroth' of the Tree of Life."
The actual technique as described by Regardie has the
practitioner staring at one or more "elemental symbols" that
each represent one of the five magickal elements - earth,
air, fire, water, and spirit. When the practitioner can
actively hold the image in memory, "The shape is then to be
enlarged until it seems tall enough for him to visualize
himself walking through it. Then he must permit the fantasy
faculty of the mind full and unimpeded play. What is
particularly important is that at this stage he must vibrate
certain divine and archangelic names which tradition ascribes
to that particular symbol. [...] In this way, he enters
imaginatively or clairvoyantly by means of a vision, into the
elemental realm corresponding to the nature of the symbol he
has chosen." This vision takes place entirely within the
practitioner's mind and can apparently be quite detailed and
fantastic. Presumably, the content of the vision corresponds
to aspects of the elemental realm being visited.
Regardie is very explicit about the purpose of using this
technique. "By employing element after element, he acquires a
sympathetic contact with the understanding of the several
hierarchical planes existing within Nature, and thus widens
tremendously the sphere of his consciousness. [...] By
following such a vision or fantasy technique the candidate's
ordinary consciousness is enabled to cross the otherwise
impenetrable barrier subsisting between it and the
unconscious. [...] Entering these various psychic levels by
way of an imaginative projection is analagous to forming an
association track by means of which idea, inspiration, and
vitality are made available to consciousness. [...] A wide
range of knowledge and feeling is thereby opened up and
assimilated without strain or difficulty to the advantage and
spiritual development of the individual."
Here we have a "controlled fantasy". Concentrating on
specific symbols and audial "vibrations" of magickal names
help put the practitioner into a form of trance. Then a
fantasy is engaged in according to a set group of
correspondences. Presumably the subconscious supplies the
symbols to the conscious mind for its perusal. And this in
turn is supposed to open the practitioner up to widened
"sphere of consciousness". And it all works "without strain
or difficulty"! Hopefully the reader can see that this is STS
at its best, wishful thinking that one is gaining knowledge
and awareness with no strain or effort.
It seems very probable that the great inventors of magick
stumbled upon (or were taught) certain symbols, both visual
and audial, that would evoke specific reactions from the
subconscious mind according to archetypes and conceptual
currents that are already present to some degree or another
in mainstream society. This amounts to a parlor trick of
smoke and mirrors, but is being touted as an avenue for
bringing one's conscious mind into closer contact with the
subconscious. Indeed, this probably happens, but all it
really shows is the mechanical nature of the subconscious
mind, or at least the part that this technique makes contact
with.
Another possibility is that the symbols and sounds have been
designed to "program" the mind in a certain way that evokes
these specific correspondences. Saying that this has brought
one closer to one's subconscious then reinforces the
programming. Note that the correspondences that are evoked in
the dream are constrained according to a predetermined set of
correspondences. And who determined this set of
correspondences? The masters of magick who have adopted the
qabala.
This technique poses a danger to the practitioner because it
proposes to "widen" one's "sphere of consciousness" using a
constrained set of symbols coupled with fantasy. Besides the
contradiction of how a specific and limited set of
correspondences can "widen" one's consciousness, this
"widening" works in lieu of real information and real
understanding and real effort. Remember that Regardie said,
"A wide range of knowledge and feeling is thereby opened up
and assimilated without strain or difficulty to the advantage
and spiritual development of the individual." We are led here
to believe that fantasy (wishful thinking) and feelings will
bring true knowledge. And further, this can be accomplished
with little effort from the practitioner. I think most people
would, indeed, agree that daydreaming is mostly effortless.
The technique of vision is another ploy to keep us busy while
fourth density STS moves in and manipulates our fantasies. We
are encouraged to daydream instead of practice real
self-observation and self presence. We are told to fantasize
about "magickal correspondences" instead of researching
something important and rooting out the predator in its every
guise. How convenient for our controllers. Another ploy to
drain us and waste our time of our own free will.
Invocation
At first look, the concept of invocation seems to be the
least offensive of magickal practices. Here the practitioner
is seeking a unification with deity, a "drawing down" of the
divine forces into the mind and awareness of the aspirant. A
"surrender" of one's self to divinity by seeking divinity.
But the practice of invocation is arguably the most revealing
aspect of magick. It is the ultimate act of Service To Self
precisely because it seeks to impose the will of the seeker
on the ultimate consciousness of God in an effort to identify
with divinity and "absorb" the spiritual qualities of
divinity.
Regardie
is shameless in his description:
"Using
the plan of the Tree of Life as his guide, the magic[k]ian
invokes the lower gods or archangels, as they are named in
another system, desirous of mingling his own life with, and
surrendering his own being to, the greater and more extensive
life of the God. Thus, his spiritual perceptions become finer
and more sensitive, and his consciousness becomes with time
accustomed to the high tension of the divine force flowing
through him. His interior evolution proceeding, he invokes
the god of the 'Sephirah' or plane immediately above.
Following the same procedure, he attempts to assimilate his
own essence, his own integrated consciousness, to that of the
divinity he has invoked. And so on - until finally he stands
upon the lofty Darien peak of spiritual realization, united
with the transcendental life of infinity, feeling with
universal love and compassion, conscious of all life and
every thing as himself with supreme vision and power. As
Iamblichus, the Neoplatonic theurgist, once expressed it: 'If
the essence and perfection of all good are comprehended in
the gods, and the first and ancient power of them is with us
priests [ie. theurgists or magicians (Regardie's note)] and
if by those who similarly adhere to more excellent natures
and genuinely obtain a union with them, the beginning and end
of all good is earnestly pursued; if this be the case, here
the contemplation of truth, and the possession of
intellectual science are to be found. And a knowledge of the
gods is accompanied with ... the knowledge of ourselves.'"
Several things stand out from this paragraph. First, the act
of invoking is necessarily an act of compulsion, a "command"
to divinity. The absurdity of a situation where a cosmically
limited and helpless human is "commanding" the divine force
to "flow" through him is laughable were it not so sad. The
key word above would seem to be "desirous" which leads to
anticipation and constraint, constraint of divinity, pure
STS. Also, the very notion of commanding or even asking the
divine force to "flow" through one would imply that it is not
already. This implication is not consistent with something
else that Regardie mentions: "Magic conceives of divinity as
Spirit and Light and Love. It is an all-pervasive and
omnipresent vital force, permeating all things, sustaining
every life from the most minute electron to the largest
nebula of mind-staggering dimensions. It is the primal
consciousness in which we live and move and have our being."
If this is so, then why would we need to invoke divinity?
Isn't it thus already? Or perhaps it is hubris and egoism on
the part of the magickian to think one may command divinity?
And again, Regardie is saying above that one may gain true
knowledge from the practice of invocation. Knowledge of the
"gods" and of self, in fact. How exactly does one gain
knowledge about one's self by imagining oneself to be unified
with God? How exactly does pretending to be a god make one
"conscious of all life and every thing as himself with
supreme vision and power"? This sounds like wishful thinking.
Invocation does not unify the invoker with God, it seeks to
humanize and thus kill God by bringing God down to our level.
Regardie: "The totality of these methods conspire to exalt
the consciousness of the operator, to lift up his mind by no
devious or uncertain route to a nobler interior plane where
is a perception of the meaning and transcendental nature and
being of the god." More wishful thinking. Wouldn't it be
wonderful if it were that easy to be exalted toward divinity
without real work and real knowledge?
Some aspects of the process of invocation deserve special
attention. Regardie writes: "Most important of all is the
imaginative faculty. This must be trained to visualize
symbols and images with the utmost clarity, ease, and
precision. [...] The name of the god or archangel is
meanwhile frequently vibrated. This vibration serves two
ends. One, to keep the mind well concentrated on the ideal
form by means of repetition. Two, the vibration awakens in
the depths of the microcosmic consciousness that magic[k]al
faculty which is akin or corresponds to its macrocosmic
power. Rhythmic breathing likewise is undertaken so as to
tranquilize mind and body, and to open the subtler parts of
the inner nature of the omni-present all-permeating life.
Visualizations of the letters of the Name, moreover, are
practiced." These techniques amount to nothing less than mind
programming using specific symbols and sounds engineered by
fourth density STS masterminds. Programming that opens up the
mind of the practitioner to accept whatever information and
feelings the controllers see fit to insert, not to mention
spirit attachments and demonic possession.
Once again, we see a strategy for duping the practitioner
into freely giving up his free will. Regardie: "As
concentration and reflection become more intense and
profound, the body becomes vitalized by streams of dynamic
energy and power. The mind, too, is invaded by light, great
intensity of feeling, and inspiration." This is precisely how
STS manipulates, by using feelings and inspiration and tricks
that make one feel "vitalized by streams of dynamic energy
and power". It seems interesting that the word "invaded" is
used above. Invaded, indeed, but with the free will of the
practitioner. This magickal technique is touted as being able
to change or evolve the consciousness of the practitioner
with nothing more than an acute form of imagination combined
with some hypnotic techniques in lieu of real work and real
effort on one's self. What seems to be more true is that the
mind of the practitioner is altered according to the designs
of the fourth density STS controllers.
But for what purpose does magick say to practice the
technique of invocation? Regardie: "By the clothing of one's
own astral form with the ideal figure of the god, now
vitalized by the descent of the invoked force, it is held
that man may be assumed or exalted into the very bosom of
godhead, and so gradually return, with the acquisition of his
own humanity, to that unnameable mysterious Root wherefrom
originally he came."
Notice that it is necessary in this technique for "the
descent of the invoked force". It has been said elsewhere
that Man should always seek to rise as He IS the "descended
form" of God. God does not descend to man according to man's
whim or fancy, for God has already descended in the form of
Man and it is our task to ascend back to divinity. So what
does one truly gain from using this technique? Knowledge? If
so, knowledge of what?
Hopefully the reader can see here that this technique is a
trick that utilizes one's own subjective imagination to
invoke feelings of exaltation "into the very bosom of
godhead". No objective knowledge can be gained from this
exercise except perhaps an appreciation for the capabilities
of our imagination. If one could just imagine that one has
attained "to that unnameable mysterious Root" and gain
greater spiritual and objective knowledge, then there would
already be a great many wise people on this planet.
Obviously, this is not the case. This important technique of
magick is nothing short of wishful thinking and pure hubris
of the ego. Magickal invocation is another trap.
Initiation
If magick is a spiritual drug, then magickal initiation is
the dealer. Initiation rituals in magick are intended to
bring the aspirant "into the fold". They are intended as a
"spiritual push" to the prospective magickian, a "push" that
one allegedly cannot gain on one's own. Someone already
initiated into the "mysteries" of magick must impart this
spiritual boost to the aspirant.
Again, we refer to Regardie: "Over and above all these
methods, or, more accurately, combining these techniques, is
a final phase of Magic which I propose only to touch upon in
brief - Initiation. The necessity and rationale of this
process depends upon the postulated ability of a trained
initiate to impart something of his own illumination and
spiritual power to a candidate by means of a ceremony. Such a
magnetic transmission of power is conceived to stir up the
inner faculties of the candidate". Two things stand out here.
First that a "trained initiate" is trying to impart
something, in other words change something within the
candidate, by use of ceremony. Ceremony is not imparting
knowledge on the candidate, nor providing enlightened
discussion or instruction, nor allowing the candidate the
chance to change as a result of self motives and efforts. So
how exactly does a ceremony "stir up the inner faculties"?
Perhaps they just serve to convince one that this has
happened when, in fact, it has not. The second thing to note
is that magick requires a prospective candidate to be
completely dependent on those already trained and experienced
in magick. This should remind one of the feeding hierarchy of
STS.
In magick, it is not enough to have just one initiation
usually given when one is first introduced into the
tradition. Many initiations are required over time to
constantly reinforce to the initiate that magick is the way
to enlightenment and that one needs assistance from more
advanced initiates. Regardie says this: "Magic in the hands
of a trained and experienced Magus is the means whereby that
eclipse of the inner light may be overcome. By means of
several initiations, the seeds of awakening are sown within
the soul. Later they are fanned and stimulated into an active
living flame lighting the brain, illuminating the soul, and
providing the necessary guidance to accomplish the purpose of
incarnation."
Exactly what does it mean to sow "seeds of awakening"?
Regardie sheds some light on this for us: "The seed of the
light is sown deeply within him by way of suggestions
embodied in ritual speeches so that, time and devotion to the
work acting as incubating agents, it may grow and blossom
into the full-grown tree of illumination and divine union."
So here we have our answer, the power of suggestion. "Ritual
speech" is used in conjunction with the physical movements
and visual symbols of the initiation ceremony to "persuade"
the candidate to take up a path of magick. The suggestions
are strengthened, or "incubated" as Regardie puts it, by time
spent between the initiation rituals studying and practicing
magick.
Initiation amounts to group programming. Usually initiation
ceremonies are carried out by a group of practicing
magickians for the supposed benefit of the candidate. The
words uttered, the symbols displayed, and the actions
performed in the ceremony serve to program the candidate
according to the system of magick. A group carrying out this
programming generally makes a bigger impression on the
aspirant and causes the programming to be more deeply
ingrained. The various levels of initiation ceremonies serve
as "markers" for one's progress and therefore placement in
the group thus necessarily setting up a hierarchy within the
group. These "markers of progress" also serve as nice badges
of wishful thinking for the ego.
Magick is quite insistent that very few people can ever make
any progress without initiation ceremonies. Regardie: "As
Psellus, another Neoplatonist once remarked of Magic, 'Its
function is to initiate or perfect the human soul by the
power of materials here on earth, for the supreme faculty of
the soul cannot by its own guidance aspire to the sublimest
intuitions, and to the comprehension of Divinity.' [...]
Since the divine principles of man are obscured and latent
within him, so that consciousness, of itself and by itself,
is unable to climb to the distant heights of spiritual
intimacy with universal life." We see here that the
prospective practitioner is convinced that one cannot make
any true headway in spiritual matters without first acceding
to the rites of initiation. This belief binds the aspirant
into the physical reality of the group and solidifies one's
place in the hierarchy, thereafter making one subject to the
predations of the group and those higher in the hierarchy.
Conclusion,
Final Analysis, and Personal Note
It
seems that we can add one more thought system to the
ever-growing pile of systems designed by fourth density STS
to deceive humanity and enforce the Matrix Control System. In
some respects, magick employs more of the truth about reality
in its deceptions than most systems, which makes it all the
more dangerous. Magick was created especially for the more
stubborn seeker who is not easily satisfied with the
feel-good platitudes and ignorant fear-mongering of so-called
organized religions. Magick is arguably the cream of the crop
for the myriad of New Age thought systems.
What makes magick so dangerous is that it offers almost a
mirror image of real esoteric work. Comparing magick's
philosophies of aspiring to divinity and the higher self to
those of Mouravieff, Gurdjieff, Ouspensky, Castaneda, and
even the Cassiopaean material as expanded upon and added to
by Laura and Ark, we see many similarities. And at first
glance, the differences between the two philosophies seem
only like surface detail, but in fact the differences are
profound and mean nothing less than the difference between
the STO path and the STS path. The devil is truly in the
details. But it takes work and much contemplation to see it.
Magick touts the ancient expression to "Know Thyself" as a
necessary process preceding any real magickal work. But the
methods proposed for this exercise involve almost exclusively
relying on divination techniques without comparing the
knowledge gained this way to "outside" information and
understandings. In fact, some others say that if the
information from divination varies greatly from outside
information, then we are to trust our intuitions instead of
our intellect. The great problem with this is that many
people are able to very easily substitute their own wishful
thinking for intuition, not to mention the possibility of
mental manipulation from external STS sources. Divination and
intuition are not adequate and complete substitutes for the
process of gathering external knowledge from many sources,
thinking with a hammer, and finally letting our intuition
contribute to our understanding.
When real magickal work commences, it is for the supposed
purpose of "equilibrating" and healing the psychology of the
practitioner using the methods of evocation and invocation.
The idea of equilibrating and healing the psychology of the
aspirant is a genuine esoteric aim, but the methods of
evocation and invocation are fundamentally flawed and
possibly even dangerous for the reasons already stated. It is
ironic that Regardie writes: "It is in vain that the wine of
the gods is poured into old cracked vessels. We must make
certain that the vessels are intact and strong, capable of
retaining and not spilling the wine poured from above."
Again, a valid esoteric idea, but ironic because it would
seem that magick serves to actually worsen the condition of
the aspirant causing further "aging and cracking" of one's
vessel.
And what exactly is the end goal of all this magickal work?
What does it mean to pour the "wine of the gods" into a
"vessel"? Here magick reverently speaks of one's higher self,
otherwise refered to as the Holy Guardian Angel. Regardie
writes:
"This is the central core of the individuality, the root of
the unconscious. Before union with the Infinite may be
invisaged, it is necessary that every principle in the human
constitution be united so that man becomes one united
consciousness, and not a disconnected series of separate
discrete consciousness [little i's]. The intelligence of the
physical cells comprising the body [motor center], the
principle of the emotions and feelings [emotional center],
the sphere of the mind itself [intellectual center], these
must be united and bound together [magnetic center] by a
conscious realization of the true nature of the self
employing them, the higher Genius [Real I]. Integrity
produced through the agency of the telestic or initiatory
rites, then the whole human being, the entire man, may set
forth upon that lengthy but incomparable bright road which
leads to the end, and to the beginning also, of life. Then,
and only then, is man able to realize the meaning of life,
and the purpose of his multitudinous incarnations on earth.
No longer is a vague mysticism countenanced and idealized as
a cowardly escape from the difficulties and turmoils of this
life. With these latter he is now capable of dealing and,
moreover, of completely mastering them, so that no longer do
they enslave him. By no ties, either of attachment or
disgust, is he bound to the duties of this earth - ties which
must necessitate his further and continued incarnation until
he has successfully severed them. [...] then the next magical
step in evolution is possible of recognition and achievement
- the conscious return of man to the divine Light from which
he came."
Lofty words, indeed!
If only magick could really deliver what is here promised,
then we would have one more valid path to esoteric
enlightenment. Unfortunately, these words are an empty
promise uttered from the lips of our fourth density STS
masters tempting us forward toward a path that leads only to
a firm position within the STS hierarchy. These cruel
controllers hold up the carrot of truth and real
enlightenment, only to pull it away when one gets too close,
leaving one in darkness, confusion, and pain. Magick is the
mobius strip designed to make us chase our tails in circles
until we are too drained and exhausted to seek real truth and
real enlightenment.
On a more personal note, I would like the reader to notice
very carefully Regardie's words directly above. Those who
have studied or read Laura's work, and any of the works that
she has drawn from, will realize that Regardie is here
presenting a framework that very much resembles real esoteric
work. I personally was very familiar with this framework when
I encountered the Cassiopaea material and Laura's work, so
one could well imagine that I would think there was, indeed,
something to this Casssiopaean business. In my mind, this new
material only complemented what I already knew and thought.
Of course, eventually I encountered the warnings and
statements against ritual and magick and a burning desire to
figure out what was going on was kindled in myself.
Several possibilites seemed evident. My first thought was
that Laura and the Quantum Future School had just not had
much exposure to the philosophies of magick, "how could they
have exposure to magick and not see how complementary the two
materials were?" I reasoned. After reading more material, I
quickly threw out that reasoning and was faced with another
prospect. One was wrong and one was right. Though the
philosophies agreed on many major points, there was still
some rather important disagreements, especially concerning
ritual. Thus the two main possibilities presented themselves
in sharp contrast to each other, either Laura and company
were wrong, or magick was wrong. Of course, I had my biases,
but I also had to know the truth and I knew I didn't have
enough information to determine that.
Thus I threw myself whole-heartedly into Laura's work. I
first read the last seven articles from the Adventure series
because of advice given in one of the smaller articles that I
initially encountered. From this, I realized a much more in
depth investigation into Laura's work needed to be conducted
for myself, and I decided that in order to give the material
a fair shake, I needed to get to know the woman who brought
this material to light. Thus I began with the Amazing Grace
series. I drove myself night and day through this series and
then the Wave series and the rest of the Adventures series.
At the end, I still did not have my answers, they were not
handed to me wholesale in any one part of the voluminous
information that I had read. It was then that I learned my
first real lesson about true esoteric work.
The only way I was able to find the answers was through my
own efforts. This required gaining an understanding of both
magick and the Cassiopaean material. I had already spent many
years on magickal theory, so I knew I had to buckle down and
try to understand and assimilate Laura's work. Only after I
gained some understanding of her work did the answers become
availabe to me, but even then I've had to search long and
hard for them. I will say that the hardest part was
overcoming the subjective biases toward magick that I had
built up over the years. My mind kept wanting to interpret
the Cassiopaean material in terms of magick. And here I
learned my second real lesson about true esoteric work, one
has to first divest one's self of all attachments that are
not objective truth before one can truly embark on a true
esoteric path. This is the moral bankruptcy that Mouravieff
and Gurdjieff mention. I did not truly understand that
concept until after I had begun my search for answers in
earnest and ran up against the obstacles of my own attachment
to magick. And I should also say that it was only my
sincerity and yearning for truth that allowed me to finally
see and overcome those obstacles.
So, to those who are honest and sincere seekers, I would say
take heart and take faith that the universe will take care of
things precisely as they should be taken care of as long as
you are actively being true to your Self. Mouravieff sums it
up nicely:
"The freedom of choice and the initiative demanded of the
seeker bring a danger: that of taking the false for the true;
the impure for the pure, allowing himself to become subject
to the scandal of 'powers', etc. When such mistakes are
committed by a pure and ardent heart as the result of a
sincere error, they do not in themselves hold mortal danger.
He will be warned in time even if he persists in his error.
The case of Saint Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus
gives us a convincing example.
"The real danger, which can lead to mortal sin, to a definite
check, occurs when an impure heart seeks to be served by
higher psychic forces for its own egoistic ends. This is a
quagmire."
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